


Brain Child

by Allerleirauh



Category: Sapphire and Steel
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, Ficlet, Multi, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-12-11 22:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allerleirauh/pseuds/Allerleirauh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are some things Silver is feeling quite protective about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brain Child

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lost_spook](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_spook/gifts).



> ...for lost_spook. Happy Birthday, dear!
> 
> Beta by spikesgirl58 - thank you! :D

“Sometimes I really doubt his sanity,” Steel murmured, watching the object of his doubts happily pottering about.

“I think you’re a bit harsh, Steel.” The reply was a soft and slightly amused chide. Cocking her head to the side, Sapphire leaned closer to him, before she added, “But I have to admit he sometimes reminds me of a magpie.” She smiled at him.

He didn’t smile back and he didn’t reply, not immediately at least. Though when he did, his mental voice was dry as card ice and only minimally warmer. _I don’t know if you’re aware of it, but while I have my doubts about Silver’s sanity from time to time,_ your _tendency to drop these little idiosyncrasies on me is almost as irritating as his bouts of foolishness._

Her smile grew wider. “You know I’m always happy to explain these little idiosyncrasies as you call them.” She paused for a moment, then she continued, picking up her best lecturing tone. “A magpie is a bird, belonging to the crow family. It has a whole number of very interesting features. For one it is highly intelligent. It is, indeed, believed to be one of the most intelligent birds there are.”

Steel gave her a sideway glance, then pointedly looked over at Silver, then back at Sapphire as if saying, ‘High intelligence? You’re joking, right?’

Sapphire in turn gave the third of their company another considering look of her own.

At the moment Silver was in the process of throwing fine metallic stripes over the object of his attention. Whatever it was he was doing it looked slightly ridiculous, and in the privacy of her mind she had to admit that his current behaviour didn’t exactly seem to indicate an overabundance of intelligence.

Looking back at Steel, she decided to forego the point and bring up another instead, even if it was something of a non sequitur. “There’s another fascinating aspect to those birds. Magpies are also known to be very expressive in their courtship, yet faithful once they’ve found their partner.”

Again Steel didn’t comment at first, but this time he shuffled his feet almost as if her words had brought up some uncomfortable images in his mind. _I’d say he’s a little too promiscuous in his attentions, don’t you think_? He asked. He didn’t give her time to answer his question, though, but instantly followed it up with a second one. _Don’t you find it at least slightly disturbing when he extends his courtship rituals even to inanimate objects?_

Now _that_ thought drew a giggle from her. Watching Silver, it certainly looked as if he had developed something of a love affair with the object he was adorning right now. That thought reminded her of something else, another fact she knew and that she simply had to share. To Steel she said, “You’re even more right than you might think, because magpies are indeed known for their fascination with shiny things, especially silvery ones. It’s said they steal those and hide them in their nests.”

Steel snorted in response, looking at Silver even more closely. “You think that’s what he’s doing? Building a nest?” he asked rather sarcastically.

She was about to reply, but this time Silver was faster, who had mostly ignored them so far, was faster. “What? A nest? Don’t be ridiculous!” he exclaimed. “This is an experiment, and a rather important one,” he said, giving up on his work and turning around towards them, a dazzling smile on his face.

“An experiment? Really, Silver? It looks more like an accident, and a dangerous one,” Steel answered.

Silver shook his head. “No, no, no. You see, this is a unique ensemble of triggers. Well, not of the original triggers, but copies of them. It is in fact the copy of a Christmas tree I came across on a recent assignment.” He gestured at his experiment expansively, as if that would explain it all.

For a while all three of them silently scrutinised the object of their discussion. Almost two metres high, it was a sparkling and dazzling contraption, over and over adorned by shiny spheres and glittering tinsel, with brilliant icicles and bright pinpricks of light that made the whole ensemble an almost dizzying experience.

Silver was gleeful, Sapphire was amused, Steel seemed to meander back and forth between being irritated and resigned.

“What’s its purpose?” Sapphire asked curiously.

“Hmm? Oh, some sort of religious symbol, I think,” Silver replied.

The answer earned him another icy glance from Steel. “ _Your_ purpose, Silver!” he qualified.

Silver, who had already turned back to his tree once again, looked back at both of them, giving them a slightly exasperated look. “It should be fairly obvious. I’m trying to figure out exactly how these triggers work. It’s a whole ensemble and all we could determine before we had to destroy the original was that they seemed to interact with one another in a very peculiar way.” He made another expansive waving gesture. “And of course from a purely aesthetical standpoint I find it rather alluring,” he added, giving the tree a look full of wide-eyed adoration.

All three of them looked at it again, two of them probably reassessing the tree under light of the new information.

It was Steel who spoke first. “Take it down, Silver!”

Silver frowned, then answered somewhat impatiently, “What? No! I’ve spent so much time recreating it. I will keep it, at least for a while.”

Steel’s expression turned even grimmer. “Silver, take this thing down!”

Silver took a step closer to him until he stood directly between his cherished tree and Steel. Silver’s impatience, however, had vanished, giving room for something else — a slight smile. “Steel!” His address was pure mockery now. “Steel,” he repeated, his voice almost a caress. “It’s just a tree. Do you really have to be so ruthless about its fate?”

Sapphire who had listened silently to the last couple of exchanges felt it was time to bring her little idiosyncrasy back into play. Her thoughts were brimming with laughter as they echoed in Steel’s mind. _There’s something else you should know about magpies, Steel. If they feel their nest is threatened they adopt a strong ‘teasing behaviour’. It’s their way to protect their nest, and they use it even when facing a much larger or stronger predator._

Steel reply was instantaneous. _Are you calling me a predator?_ he asked incredulously, and even though it was clear that he fought valiantly to stay serious, his amusement was strongly colouring his thoughts.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she answered aloud, giving Steel a coquettish grin, drawing a rather bemused frown from Silver while Steel looked back at her suspiciously.

Another moment passed during which all three seemed to follow their own thoughts, each entertaining their own private thoughts while they waited for Steel to react one way or the other. When he did, it was probably a surprise to every one of them and most of all himself that he actually gave in.

Softening his stance, he said, “Oh very well. Keep it for now, but we are needed elsewhere, and we certainly haven’t time to dawdle any longer.” Making a shooing motion, he added, “So come along, Silver, for now at least your nest is safe from me.” He gave both his fellow Elements a rather haughty look before he ushered them out.

Unsurprisingly he couldn’t resist one last thought at both of them. _The two of you, sometimes I really don’t know which one is worse,_ he told them.

It was with an ease that spoke of very long practise that he ignored their following laughter.


End file.
